For some students September 8 is this years first day of school. Its also another first the first time a U.S. President has asked to be invited into classrooms to speak directly to children.
It may seem innocuous for President Obama to speak directly to students about the importance of education. If that were the whole story this could be a milestone which parents need not fear.
Unfortunately Obama may have an ulterior motive.
Frankly we dont know what the President is expecting to say and that has people nervous. Originally Obama was expected to talk about controversial policy proposals that would change our country. Many of us who have well-intentioned policy disagreements with the president have had reason for concern.
Two lesson plans were prepared by the Department of Education produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows. One is for K-6 and the other is for 7-12 grades.
It is recommended teachers discuss among other things Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials like the mayor senators members of congress or the governor? Why is what they say important?"
The lesson plan goes further saying:
Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?"
Thats enough to send chills down my spine. Schoolchildren should not be indoctrinated in obedience to and service in support of the president of the United States. Our system is based on the rule of law and a robust tradition of loyal opposition not blind support for the president in power. Obama is expected to address the challenges" facing him in Congress and will likely
use that opportunity to promote global warming taxes and a Washington take-over of the countrys health care system. Hearing only one side of the story many young people could be swayed.
In the proposed curriculum it was suggested:
Teachers can extend learning by having students write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals."
That has been changed to now read:Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
It appears even the President doesnt know just what he is going to say or what he will ask students to do. In the wake of the I Pledge" video which has been shown in some schools and ends with celebrities saying they pledge to be of service to Barack Obama" and to Be a servant to our president" we have reason for concern. When recruits are children doesnt that constitute indoctrination even brainwashing? Perhaps the most disturbing part isnt the teachers having students write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president but that these letters would be used by teachers to make students accountable." Indoctrination is often distinguished from education by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine the doctrine they have learned. Indoctrination is common in totalitarian societies and completely alien to our system of government. As the American public learns more about Obama policies support for those policies has diminished. Now he is taking his message to the schools where the audience is not only impressionable children but teachers educational bureaucrats and parents. As a former White House Liaison to the U.S. Department of Education in the President Reagan Administration I can say with certainty that this type of approach
is an abuse of power. Public policy decisions are made by voters and Americas children should not be used to influence opinion to organize the education unions or to sway parents -- they simply should not be used!
This may be President Obamas vision of change but it is not one shared by many Americans.
It is past time to empower parents to have meaningful alternatives to the government-run schools in which they can be subject to such indoctrination. All parents should be able to make the choice Obama made for his own children to send them to a private school if that best suits their needs.
Until that day happens we need to remain ever-vigilant against attempts to use the government-schools to indoctrinate our children.
Peggy Venable was the first White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of Education in the Reagan Administration and is now Texas director of Americans for Prosperity.
The message sent from Education Secretary Arne Duncan to school principals can be found on the U.S. Department of Educations website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html
